# US 2018/0323657 A1 · Wireless power transfer management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323657 A1 - Document ID: US20180323657A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/585,330 - Filed: 2017-05-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03 - Assignees: Searete LLC - Applicants: Searete LLC - Inventors: RUSSELL J. HANNIGAN; GUY SHLOMO LIPWORTH; MATTHEW S. REYNOLDS; YAROSLAV A. URZHUMOV - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323657A1 ## CPC - H02J 50/23: characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas - H02J 50/90: involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment - H02J 50/402: {the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas} - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Described embodiments include a system and method. A system includes a tracking circuit configured to determine a location of a target device within a Fresnel region of an electronically reconfigurable beam-forming antenna. The antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams within its Fresnel region. The system includes a beam selector circuit configured to select from the at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams a focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device. The system includes a beam definition circuit configured to determine an electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beam-forming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam. The system includes an output circuit configured to transmit a signal indicative of the determined electromagnetic field distribution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a tracking circuit configured to determine a location of a target device within a Fresnel region of an electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna, the antenna configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams within its Fresnel region; a beam selector circuit configured to select from the at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams a focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device; a beam definition circuit configured to determine an electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam; and an output circuit configured to transmit a signal indicative of the determined electromagnetic field distribution. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit is further configured to update the determined location of the target device within the Fresnel region of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit is configured to determine the location of the target device in response to data received from a radar device, a lidar device, a digital imaging device, or an optical sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit is configured to determine the location of the target device at least in part in response to data received from a satellite navigation system receiver. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit is configured to determine the location of the target device in response to a backscattered energy from a signal transmitted by the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit is configured to determine the location of the target device in response to a signal received from the target device. ### Claim at position 7 7-11. (canceled) ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determined location includes a distance between the antenna and the target device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determined location is estimated from a measurement of the one-way or two-way channel impulse response and/or channel transfer function between the antenna and the target device. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determined location includes a distance of the target device off-axis of the antenna plane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the beam selector circuit is configured to select a focused electromagnetic beam that includes the determined location of the target device within its depth of focus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the beam selector circuit is configured to select from at least two selectable arbitrary focused electromagnetic beams an arbitrary focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the beam selector circuit is configured to select from at least two selectable three-dimensional focused electromagnetic beams a three-dimensional focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the beam definition circuit is configured to select from a library of electromagnetic field distributions an electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the beam definition circuit is configured to determine a holographic electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams having frequencies between 0.5 and 25 GHz. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams having frequencies between 25 and 50 GHz. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams having frequencies greater than 50 GHz. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an antenna controller configured to establish the determined electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 27 (canceled) ### Claim 28 (canceled) ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a dynamically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes an electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna configured to implement a dynamically focused electromagnetic beam within the Fresnel region. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a dynamically reconfigurable focus spot within the Fresnel region selectable from a continuum or preselected set of focal spots. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a beamforming antenna having a holographic aperture. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable arbitrary focused electromagnetic beams within the Fresnel region. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna is configured to implement at least two selectable three-dimensionally focused electromagnetic beams within the Fresnel region. ### Claim at position 32 36-40. (canceled) ### Claim 41 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes an electronically reconfigurable aperture surface configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams within the Fresnel region. ### Claim 42 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna is configured to beam wireless power to the target device. ### Claim 43 (canceled) ### Claim 44 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a metamaterial surface antenna configured to electronically steer an electromagnetic beam. ### Claim 45 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a flat panel electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 46 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a plurality of electronically controllable subwavelength unit cells. ### Claim 47 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna includes a surface scattering antenna with a plurality of controllable scattering elements. ### Claim at position 40 48-50. (canceled) ### Claim 51 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an out-of-range circuit configured to generate a signal indicating the determined location of the target device is not within the Fresnel region of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The system of claim 51, further comprising: an antenna controller configured to terminate wireless power beaming to the target device by the antenna in response to the signal indicating the determined location of the target device is not within the Fresnel region of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) The system of claim 51, further comprising: a position manager circuit configured to signal the target device that it is not within the Fresnel region of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The system of claim 53, wherein the position controller circuit is configured to signal the target device using a housekeeping channel. ### Claim 55 A method comprising: determining a location of a target device within a Fresnel region of an electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna, the antenna configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams within the Fresnel region of the antenna; selecting from the at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams a focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device; determining an electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam; and establishing the determined electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The method of claim 55, wherein the establishing includes establishing the determined electromagnetic field distribution over the aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna by adjusting subwavelength elements of the antenna aperture to establish the holographic electromagnetic field distribution over the aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 57 (depends on 55) The method of claim 55, further comprising: wirelessly beaming electromagnetic power from electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna to the target device. ### Claim 58 A system comprising: means for determining a location of a target device within a Fresnel region of an electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna, the antenna configured to implement at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams within the Fresnel region; means for selecting from the at least two selectable focused electromagnetic beams a focused electromagnetic beam having a focal spot that covers at least a portion of the determined location of the target device; means for determining an electromagnetic field distribution over an aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna implementing the selected focused electromagnetic beam; and means for establishing the determined electromagnetic field distribution over the aperture of the electronically reconfigurable beamforming antenna. ### Claim 59 (depends on 58) The system of claim 58, further comprising: means for initiating a wireless beaming electromagnetic power to the target device. ### Claim at position 50 60-72. (canceled)